Printing cylinder having an interchangeable printing plate for application in postage meters



May 6, 1958 w. MULLER 2,833,210

PRINTING CYLINDER HAVING AN INTERCHANGEABLE PRINTING PLATE FOR APPLICATION IN POSTAGE METERS Filed June 11, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 //VVEIVT R f WAX MM M M WRWW May 6, 1958 w. MULLER 2,833,210

PRINTING CYLINDER HAVING AN INTERCHANGEABLE PRINTING PLATE FOR APPLICATION IN POSTAGE METERS I Filed June 11, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 3

,8 Fig. 4

LBnuDEE'o? i naqlecue I m Fig. 5

I lmu|l|L l/vvewmn Unitd States F PRINTING CYLINDER HAVING AN INTER- CHANGEABLE PRINTING PLATE FOR AP- PLICATION IN POSTAGE METERS Wilhelm Muller, Frankfurt am Main-Eckenheiin, Germany, assignor to Telefonbau und Nonnalzeit G. in. b. H., Frankfurt am Main, Germany Application June 11, 1956, Serial No. 590,753 6 Claims. (Cl. 101-91) This invention relates to printing or stamping apparatus, and more particularly to printing or stamping cylinder in such a fashion that it can readily be interchanged from time to time. The desire to readily interchange the aforementioned printing plate from time to time creates the problem of precluding misuse of the other printing means on the printing cylinder, and notably This plurality of printing means includes genof the printing means for the insignia of the postal au- 1 thorities, on the occasion of an interchange of the printing plate for advertising matter, or the like, for another such plate.

It is, therefore, one object of this invention to provide a printing apparatus for postage meters wherein the danger of misuse of the insignia of the postal authorities on the printing or stamping cylinder is minimized, or eliminated. I

Printing apparatus for postage meters are provided with a mask limiting the size of an aperture for the passage of a segment of the stamping or printing cylinder. This aperture as limited by said mask is sufficiently small to preclude a complete imprint of any of the aforementioned plurality of printing means on the printing cylinder from being made as long as the stamping cylinder remains stationary. This aperture is sufliciently large, on the other hand, to permit complete imprints of all of said plurality of printing means to be made sequentially upon rotation of said stamping or printing cylinder.

It is another object of this invention to interlock the aforementioned mask and the stamping or printing cylinder in such a fashion as to preclude misuse of any printing means on the printing cylinder when the printing plate which is interchangeably secured to the printing cylinder is being interchanged.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as this specification proceeds, and the features of novelty which characterize the invention willbe pointed out with particularity in the appended claims forming part of this specification.

According to this invention the aforementioned mask is adapted to be shifted selectively to two limit positions. The mask and the printing cylinder are provided with 2,833,219 Patented May 6,1958

ture rotatably supporting the printing cylinder. When the printing cylinder is in this predetermined position the mask can be shifted to said other of its limit positions thereby fully exposing one of the printing means on the printing cylinder and enabling interchange of'this particular printing means. Additional interlock means preelude rotation of the printing or stamping cylinder relative to said mask when said mask is in said other of the two limit positions thereof.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a structure embodying my invention comprising a mask shown in the position thereof wherein it limits the portion of the surface of the printing cylinder which can be printed;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same structure as shown in Fig. l the mask being shown in the position thereof wherein it enables access to the printing plate which is interchangeably secured to the printing cylinder to enable interchange of the former;

Figs. 3 and 4 are bottom plan views of the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2, Fig. 3 referring to a position of the printing cylinder exposing the interchangeable printing 'plate with advertising matter to view, and Fig. 4.

referring to a position of the printing cylinder exposing the printing means to view for printing the insignia of the postal authorities;

Fig. 5 is an isometric representation of the maskand of interlock means forming an integral part thereof.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 thereof, reference numeral 1' has been. applied to indicate a frame structure supporting a shaft 2 which, in turn, supports the stamping cylinder or printing cylinder 3. The latter is thus rotatably mounted on frame structure 1. Cylinder 3 supports a plurality of printing means in the form of printing plates 5, 6, 7 on the cylindrical surface thereof. Printing plate 5 is intended to print advertising matter and is secured in any desired fashion to the surface of cylinder 1 in such a way that it can readily be interchanged, i. e. removed I and replaced by another structurally identical plate with which is parallel to the axis 2 supporting the printing different advertising matter thereon. Printing plate 6 is associated with a date stamp which is adjustable to enable printing any day of the year. Printing plate 7 surrounds a number of adjustable type wheels 18 for printing postal rates, and the plate itself bears the insignia of the postal authorities. Printing plates 5, 6, 7 are angularly displaced, as required. The closing plate 8 on the bottom of the apparatus is provided with a rectangular aperture 9, permitting the passage of a segment of the rotatable printing cylinder 3, thus enabling the printing cylinder 3 to roll over matter to be imprinted and to produce imprints on such matter. Reference numeral 11 has been applied to indicate a mask limiting the area of aperture 1 9. Mask 11 is adapted to be pivoted about an axis cylinder 3. The term axis used in connection with mask 11 refers to the geometric axis about which mask 11 may be pivoted from one of the two limit positions thereofto the other. The limit positions of mask 11 are shown in Figs. 1 and 2, respectively. The structure I about which mask 11 may be pivoted is formed by two tubular projections 10 best shown in Fig. 5 adapted to be received by two appropriate bearings (not shown) in v frame'l. Mask 11 is acted on by a leaf spring 17 secured to a member 19 on frame 1. In the positions of cooperating interlock means precluding said mask from being shifted from one to the other of said two limit positions thereof unless the printing cylinder is m a the parts shown in Fig. 1 spring 17 engages a projection 20 on mask 11 and biases mask 11 in clockwise direction as seen in Fig. 1. In the position of the parts' shown in Fig. 2 spring 17 engages the back of mask 11.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, mask 11' covers a portion of the aperture 9, thus limiting access to the printing The printing cylinder is provided plates 5, 6 and 7. with a cam 12 having a cylindrical surface which is coaxial to axis 2 and has a concave recess 13 of circular shape. of the tubular projections 19 forms a cam having a circular cam surface 15 adapted to enter recess 13. Cam

element 14 engages the cylindrical circumference of cam 12, thus precluding mask 11 from being shifted or pivoted out of the position shown in Fig. 1.

In the position of printing cylinder 3 wherein it is possible to pivot mask 11 to the position shown in Fig. 2 printing, plate is situated in front of aperture 9. Pivotalmovement of mask 11 in counterclockwise, di-

rection fully exposes printing plate 5 and thus enables interchange thereof, i. c. removal of a given printing plate and substitution therefor of another printing plate of identical size. Printing plate 5 remains inaccessible and cannot be interchanged as long as aperture 9 is not being enlarged by counterclockwise pivotal movement of mask 11. In the position of mask 11 shown in Fig. 2, spring 17 biases mask 11 in counterclockwise direction, causing projection 15a to engage the cylindrical surface of cam 12. This tends to maintain mask 11 in the position shown in Fig. 2. Upon interchange of printing plate, 5, mask 11 is moved back to the initialposition thereof, wherein it tends to be maintained by the bias of spring 17 then resting upon projection 20.

As mentionedabove, mask 11 cannot be moved to the positionshown in Fig. 2 as long as the printing cylinder} is in another position than that of Fig. 2, this being due to the interlocking action of surface 16 and of the cylindrical portion of cam 12. As long as mask 11 covers; a portion of aperture 9 and printingcylinder 3 is not being rotated, no complete imprint can be made of any of the three; printing plates 5, 6, 7. The limiting action of; mask 11,relative to print areas can best be seenintFigs 3 and4. No complete imprint can be made, of any, oftheprinting plates 5, 6, 7, and particularly no such imprintscan be made from printing plate 7 with the insignia ,of the postal authorities thereon unless the parts of the printing apparatus are in a position forauthorized use of the same.

Having disclosed a; preferred embodiment of my invention, it is. desired that thesame be not limited to the particular structure disclosed. It will be obvious toany person skilled in. the. art that many modifications and changes may be. made withoutdeparting from the broad spirit and scope of theinvention. Therefore it is desired that the ,inventionbe interpreted as broadly as possible, and that it be limited only as required by the prior state of the art..

I. claimas my invention:

1. A stamping apparatus comprising a frame structure, a. stamping cylinder rotatably supported bysaid frame structure, a plurality of printing means for printing different symbols ,arrangedonthe surface of saidselectively to two limit positions, means, defining .an

aperture for the passage of a segment of. said. stamp:

The lateral element 14 supporting one der remains stationary and said mask is in one of said two limit positions thereof, and said aperture being sufficiently large to permit complete imprints of all of said plurality of printing means to be made sequentially upon rotation of said stamping cylinder relative to said mask with said mask in said one of said two limit positions thereof, interlock means precluding said mask from beingshifted to the other of said two limit positions thereof unless said stamping cylinder is in a predetermined angular position relative to said frame structure, and additional interlock means precluding rotation of said stamping cylinder relative to said mask when said mask is in said other of said two limit positions thereof.

2. A stamping apparatus as specified in claim 1 wherein said mask is adapted to be pivoted about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of saidstamping cylinder.

3. In combination a frame structure, a printing cylinder rotatably supported by said frame structure, a mask, means supported by said frame structure pivotally supporting said mask permitting said mask to be rocked selectively about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said printing cylinder, means defining an aperture for the passage of a segment of said printing cylinder, said aperture-defining means including said mask, interlock means adapted to be jointly rocked with said mask to two limit positions to selectively permit and preclude rotation of said printing cylinder relative to said mask depending upon in which of said two limit positions said mask is in, and additional interlock means under the control of said printing cylinder adapted to selectively permit and preclude rocking of said mask depending upon the position of said printing cylinder relative to said frame structure.

4. In combination a rotatable printing cylinder, a frame structure supporting said printing cylinder, a plurality of printing means for printing different symbols arranged on the surface of said printing cylinder and angularly displaced relative to one another, said plurality of printing means including a printing plate interchangeably secured to the surface of said printing cylinder, a mask limiting the printing area of said plurality of printing means, means for pivotally supporting said mask permitting said mask to be rocked to one of two limit positions thereof to give full access to said printing plate, and interlock means adapted to selectively permit and preclude rotation of said printing cylinder relative to said mask, said interlock means including a first cam surface forming an integral partof said printing cylinder and having a recess therein and a second cam surface forming an integral part of said mask and having a projection adapted to engage said recess to cause said mask to give full access to said printing plate when said printing cylinder is in a predetermined position relative to said frame structure.

mg cylinder, said aperture-defining means including said means from being madeas long as said stamping cylin- 5. A stamping apparatus comprising a frame structure, a stamping cylinder rotatably supported by said frame structure, a plurality of printing means for printing dif ferent symbols arranged on the surface of said stamping cylinder and angularly displaced relative to one another, said; plurality of printing means including a printing plate interchangeably secured to said stamping cylinder, a mask adapted to be pivoted to two limit'positions about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said stamping cylinder, means including said mask defining an aperture for the passage of a segment of said stamping cylinder, said aperture being sufficiently small to preclude a complete imprint of any of said plurality of printing means from being made as long as said stamping cylinder remains stationary and said mask is in oneof said two limit positions thereof. and said aperture being sufiiciently large to permit complete imprints of all of said plurality of printing means to be made sequentially upon rotation of said stamping cylinder relative to. said mask with said mask in said one ol 5 with said stamping cylinder and a second cam integral with said mask, said first cam having a cylindrical surface and said second cam having a surface element adapted to cooperatively engage said cylindrical surface to preclude said mask from being pivoted to'the other of said two limit positions thereof unless said stamping cylinder is in a predetermined angular position relative to said frame structure, said first cam further defining a recess and said second cam further havinga projection adapted to engage said recess to preclude rotation of said stamping cylinder relative to said mask when said mask is pivoted to said other of said two limit positions thereof.

6. A stamping apparatus as specified in claim 5 comprising spring means supported by said frame structure biasing said mask to maintain said mask in either of said two limit positions thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

